Movie Review: “Deadpool 2” – Bigger

Written by Matt Butler June 03, 2018

Deadpool 2 is great. It’s essentially the same stuff we got the first time with some new characters and character development. Typical good sequel stuff. My feelings about Deadpool 2 relate more to the franchise in general. I’m amazed how true to the character Deadpool has been.

**Warning: Spoilers Ahead**

Of all these superhero/comic book movies, Deadpool is the only comic I’ve read before the inception of its film adaptation. I don’t think that’s bragging though. Without Ryan Reynolds’ sly marketing tactics, if things hadn’t gone the way they did, we might still be waiting another five years for a Deadpool movie (maybe ten for an R-rated one). Deadpool’s existence as a film is a stroke of luck, and its shock waves are still rippling across Hollywood. It’s why Logan was the way it was. It’s why Batman V Superman got that R-rated cut (okay, that’s nothing to write home about). I’m willing to bet it’s why Quentin Tarantino got slated to do Star Trek. And of course, it’s why this movie was made. Go figure.

“You’re so dark. Are you sure you’re not from the DC universe?”

I think the most exciting thing about Deadpool is that it gives us a chance to take a step back and look at the superhero landscape. These movies are pumping out at factory pace, and while Infinity War spells the end of several Marvel franchises, its billion-dollar box office draw tells a whole other story. Fatigued or not, superhero movies aren’t going anywhere. Deadpool and Deadpool 2 sit in a comfortable nexus between conflict and comedy. Things get serious, but never too serious. Even when Deadpool loses the love of his life, he can’t help cracking jokes. It’s a fun departure from the overindulgent doom and gloom these larger-than-life titans keep getting sucked into (excluding the solid Logan).

There’s a clever gag in Deadpool that gets expanded upon in Deadpool 2. Deadpool heads to Xavier’s School for Gifted Youngsters in search of X-Men to aid in rescuing his girlfriend. Upon arrival, he’s greeted by Colossus, Nega-Sonic Teenage Warhead, and no one else. Deadpool remarks how obvious it is that the studio couldn’t afford any other X-Men. In Deadpool 2, that joke is paid off when Deadpool again comments on the vacant school grounds, unaware that the X-Men are hiding in a corridor just shy of his line of sight. The studio can afford X-Men, they just can’t stand Deadpool. An even funnier gag comes in the post-credit scene when Deadpool takes pot shots at his previous incarnation in X-Men Origins: Wolverine, followed by Green Lantern (both played by Reynolds).

“With this collar on, my superpower is just unbridled cancer. Give me a bow and arrow and I’m basically Hawkeye.”

Deadpool’s at his funniest when he’s ridiculing himself and his contemporaries. He occupies the same universe as The Avengers but he has the mindset to critique its many tropes and cliches. Joking about Rosie O’Donnell, Jose Canseco and Frozen fits the character but doesn’t strike the same chord. If Deadpool 2 ever gets tiring, I blame it on that.

Again, there’s not much I can say about the plot of sequel itself. It’s basically a bigger version of the first film. The most interesting thing about Deadpool 2 is the expanded emotional arch of Wade Wilson, a character I never thought capable of having an arc to begin with. After the inciting incident of his girlfriend’s death, Wade becomes more cautious of the effect he has on the world around him. When the young mutant pyro (played by a fittingly cast Julian Dennison) starts causing trouble, Wade becomes a sort of father figure (sort of). This is what carries the film beyond its constant fourth-wall breaks. Deadpool is exposing his humanity, and it gives purpose to the film altogether. Deadpool 2 works. It’s more of the same, sure, but for this kind of movie, that’s just fine.

My Rating: 7/10

About Matt Butler

Matt Butler is a strapping young English Major with a fiery passion for the art of cinematic storytelling. He likes long walks on the beach and knows the proper use of 'your' and 'you're'. (Example: I hope YOU'RE having a wonderful time browsing our site, and I hope you enjoy YOUR time reading my film reviews. I wrote them just for you.)